Jury: Cave guilty of manslaughter, criminal conspiracy

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John M. Steiner / The Sun Pam Phillips, left, clerk of courts for Stutsman County, reads Thursday the verdict as Janelle Cave, right, facing away, and her court-appointed attorney, David Ogren look on. A jury found Cave guilty of manslaughter and criminal conspiracy. Seated at Phillips’ left is Jackie Simmers, court reporter.
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Janelle Cave and her attorney, David Ogren, stand in a courtroom in the Stutsman County Courthouse Thursday afternoon and watch as jurors take their seats after deliberating. John M. Steiner The Sun
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John M. Steiner / The Sun Janelle Cave looks down Thursday just prior to the reading of a jury’s verdict that found her guilty of manslaughter and criminal conspiracy. Her sentencing will be in six to eight weeks.

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Jurors found Janelle Cave, 22, Jamestown, guilty of manslaughter and criminal conspiracy Thursday. Manslaughter was a lesser charge that was considered when she was found not guilty of murder.

Cave and Leron Lee Howard, 34, Jamestown, had been charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in the death of Abdi Ali Ahmed, 18, Jamestown, on April 30, 2011. Howard is scheduled for trial beginning Aug. 7.

Cave sobbed as the verdict was read.

Manslaughter is defined as recklessly causing the death of an individual. It is a Class B felony and punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Criminal conspiracy is a Class AA felony punishable by up to life in prison without parole. According to the criminal information document filed in the case, the minimum sentence includes “no parole eligibility for 30 years.”

Sentencing is scheduled to occur in about six to eight weeks and will follow a pre-sentence investigation.

The verdict was read in front of a packed courtroom that included family members of the defendant and the victim. Both groups remained silent while the verdict was read. None was available for comment after the verdict.

Ahmed moved to Jamestown in March 2011. He was seen in a downtown Jamestown bar with Howard the night of the murder. Later that evening, he went to the southeast Jamestown home Howard shared with Cave. His body was found in a ditch near Spiritwood, N.D., on April 30, 2011. He died of blunt head trauma and also suffered stab wounds before he died.

Cave told jurors during her testimony that she never participated in harming Ahmed. She said Howard struck Ahmed and she helped Howard transport Ahmed to the rural ditch where his body was found. She also threw a knife used to stab Ahmed in the James River.

Cave said she helped Howard and kept quiet for months after the murder because she was afraid he would harm her and her family.

Fritz Fremgen, Stutsman County state’s attorney, applauded the efforts of all involved in the case.

“This was a serious case and important to the community,” he said. “I appreciate all the hard work of law enforcement, the courts and the jury in this difficult process.”

David Ogren, court-appointed defense attorney, declined to comment, saying the case is still continuing through the sentencing process.

The case was heard in Southeast District Court with Judge Thomas E. Merrick presiding. Jury selection began on Feb. 6, with testimony beginning Feb. 8.

The jury received the case for deliberation at 3 p.m. Wednesday and returned the verdict about 2 p.m. Thursday after seven hours of deliberation.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, court, crime